[sdiy] DIY PCBs

[Jim Patchell]

    Back in the old days when I used to etch at home, I got a PC board etching kit
that came with Ammonium Persulfate.  I noticed the "Mercuric Chloride" was included.
It was in a little capsule.  I removed it (although, I don't remember what I did with
it, probably put it in the trash, so it is in a land fill most likely).  Even without
the stablizer, the Ammonium Persulfate worked OK.  But I am with everybody else.
Send them out to be done.  I gave up on DIY PCB's over 25 years ago.  I just don't
like dealing with the chemicals.  And personally, I don't think you really save any
money anyway.  And you get back much nicer looking boards, with plated through holes.

    -Jim

harry wrote:

> yeah... My ex-company used to etch with Ammonium Persulfate..... know what
> they toss in to stabilize the etchant... a little Mercuric Chloride.
>
> They had to have about 10 trucks of dirt removed when they expanded the
> building... that's where the drum storage was...
>
> They also have to run fans 24 / 360 in the new building... to get whatever might
> clear the vapor barrier...
>
> wanna guess the cancer rate at that place ???
>
> sorry I'm with Rick... don't etch at home
>
> H^) harry
>
> Scott Bernardi wrote:
>
> > Hey, I make my own PCB's, etch them in Ammonium Persulfate, and I live in
> > Antioch, California.
> >
> > ElmacacoX at aol.com wrote:
> >
> > > DAMN!!  and I got kinda freaked out when my soldering iron came with a
> > > warning that it contains substances known in the state of california to cause
> > > cancer!
> > >
> > > I ain't touching any of those chemicals I can't pronounce!
> > >
> > > long live pcb houses so when I need them, they'll be there!
> >
> > --
> > Scott Bernardi
> > sbernardi at home.net